Chapter 16


“You think we should get lemons too?” Ridge asked Perry as he plucked oranges from the tree.
“We should ged a few, dey not goin’ anywhere an neider are we right now.” He laughed and pulled an orange himself. “Id nice to have fresh fruit doe. Id be even nicer to eat it ad home, wid my wife.”
“I can’t wait to get Brooke home either.” Ridge concurred. “Especially with that body showing up. How is the engine coming? You think we may get going sooner than you hoped?”
“We made progress.” Perry scratched his head. “But not as much as I had hoped. I need you and Nick ta hep me tomorrow. We need to work faster.”
The sound of a bird shocked them and made Ridge jump and drop his fruit. “Damn. I guess I am not made for this kind of life.”
“You just spooked wid da tings we talking about.” Perry laughed. Don worry Ridge, we get off soon and we get you home.”
“I’m more concerned about leaving Brooke alone on the boat.”
“She not alone, Nick and Carla dere.”
“Nick is no solace to me.” Ridge frowned. “I don’t like the way he was acting. He doesn’t treat Carla well and to be honest he doesn’t seem very respectful of Brooke either. I’m sure it was pure torture for her being stuck alone with a surly guy like him for so long. But Logan is just too sweet to ever say anything. She always sees the best in people.”
“Nick seem to me to be a good man.” Perry answered. “Mebbe a fish oudda water, like you are.”
“Yeah, I guess he doesn’t fit this life anymore than I do.” Ridge admitted. “But that doesn’t explain the rude way he acts around the women.”
“Nick been through hell too Ridge. Mebbe you can cut him some slack.”
“Not as long as he treats Brooke the way he does. I do feel for him, he had a hard time, but he needs to buck it up and be a man. Brooke doesn’t deserve his abuse and frankly, I’ve come to care about Carla and I hate how he treats her. The woman loves him, she sacrificed to come and look for the idiot and he doesn’t even seem to care.”
“Dat between dem Ridge. You don know what relationship de had before.”
“They’re engaged and Carla loves him. That’s enough for me to see he’s an arrogant asshole.”
“I like you bot Ridge, I don wanna get in da middle of dis.”
“I’m not asking you to Perry. I’m sorry, he just rubs me the wrong way. I don’t know what it is. I guess it’s mostly the way he treats Brooke. I’ll just be glad when we’re home and he becomes nothing but a distant memory.”
“Speaking of da devil, here he come.” Perry pointed to Nick as he approached them.
“He left them alone? What the hell is wrong with him?” Ridge angrily shouted. “Parker you idiot! What are you doing?”
Nick frowned and walked up to them. “You got a problem?” He asked Ridge.
“Yeah, you!” Ridge said angrily.
“Gentlemen, let’s try an be calm.” Perry stood between them.
“What did I do to piss him off?” Nick asked.
“You left them, you left them all alone. Do you even have a clue how dangerous that was?” Ridge railed at Nick.
“I think I have a better idea of everything on this island than you do.” Nick walked past Ridge towards the fruit trees.
“If you did you wouldn’t have left them alone.”
“Ridge.” Nick said as he calmly started picking oranges. “There’s no danger. The women are on the boat, there’s no one on this island but us. What exactly are you so afraid of?”
“The drug runners!” Ridge growled. “Come on Perry, this idiot may not care about the girls but I do. Let’s go back.”
Nick shook his head and started to chuckle. “And I thought that I was the city boy.”
“I’m sure dey safe, we din fine anyone here, I tink we be alone, but we go back.” Perry picked up his pile of fruit. “You come back soon too Nick.”
“I don’t know how we ever survived without you guys.” Nick laughed as Ridge and Perry started walking away.
“Arrogant son of a bitch.” Ridge muttered to Perry.
“Mebbe you over reacted Ridge.”
“No, no I didn’t. We don’t know who killed that man and we don’t know where they are. Just because we didn’t see them doesn’t mean that they’re not here. I’m not leaving Brooke alone, no matter what that fool thinks! I’m not!”
“Otay Ridge, we go right back to her.” Perry said, trying to calm him. “Eva ting will be otay, I promise you dat.”


Taylor closed the door and led her companion to the couch. “I can’t thank you enough for coming.”
“You sounded so upset. Are you ready to talk about it?” He asked her.
“Oh James, I really don’t know how I can do this. It all happened so quickly, there was so much anger, but now that he’s gone.” She sniffled into her tissue.
“You don’t know for sure.” James took her hand into his.
“I do. I made my own calls. Eric was trying to protect us all. They have called off the search, they believe all aboard the boat are dead. They found a dinghy that they believe is from the boat. It was out in the middle of nothing. James there is no way that they made it out of that storm and didn’t contact anyone. The authorities don’t believe they made it. They suggested that I take legal action, being that Ridge is the children’s father. But James I can’t.”
He gently took her into his arms. “You don’t have to Taylor. There is no reason to rush into anything.”
“You don’t think he could really be alive do you?” She asked as hope sprung into her sad eyes.
“I don’t know Taylor.” He sadly admitted.
“We were so cruel to each other but I always thought there would be time.” She reached for another tissue.
“Time to reconcile?” James asked.
Taylor looked confused. “I’m not sure. I’m not sure if we could have or if either of us would have wanted to, but time to apologize. I loved him James, I loved him since the day I met him. I didn’t want him to die thinking I hated him.”
“He knew you didn’t hate him.” James assured her.
“I was so cold to him. I was jealous of her and she was dead and now, now he’s dead too. I guess he couldn’t go on without her. I guess he loved her that much.”
“Ridge didn’t intend to die.” James got up and walked to the bar. “Let me pour you something.”
“Getting drunk won’t help.” She protested.
“I don’t intend on getting you drunk. I was just going to get you something to help you calm and relax. Perhaps I could fix you some warm milk?” He suggested.
“No, ugh no. Some sherry would be nice.” She smiled at him.
James poured them each a small glass. He walked back to the couch, handed Taylor hers and sat down beside her again. “Are there any calls I can make for you?” He asked her.
“No thank you James. I have Connor doing that.” She sighed. “Oh God, how can I tell the children? How do I tell them that they’ll never see their father again?”
“You don’t tell them that until you know for sure.”
“Will I ever? I mean if they don’t find a boat or a body?”
“Connor can answer the legal questions.” James told her. “But I think you’ll know yourself when you’re sure.”
“I blame her James, I know it’s wrong but I blame her.”
“Brooke?” he asked.
“Yes Brooke! If she hadn’t gone off like that he’d never have gone looking for her.”
“Do you think she left so he would follow?” James wondered.
“Did Brooke ever do anything without it having something to do with Ridge?” Taylor scoffed.
“I was under the impression it was a business trip.” He said softly.
“Fine.” She sighed. “But she left to make him upset. She wanted him to miss her, and he did. Then when she died it got even worse.”
“Brooke didn’t plan on dying to make your life miserable Taylor.”
“Oh God will you just listen to me. I sound like an insane woman. Of course she didn’t die to get back at me. I guess I’m just so angry that even with Brooke dead I still couldn’t hold onto him. He chases a ghost. He had a wife and family and still he chased a ghost. And now it cost him his own life and my children a father.”
“And you?” James asked.
“A husband, I still love my husband.” She sobbed as he took her back into his arms.


“Thanks Perry.” Ridge said as they got back onto the boat. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Early Ridge, we need to work hard and fast.” Perry reminded him.
“I’ll be there.” Ridge patted his back.
“Goodnight Ridge.” Perry sat down on his chair on the desk and looked up at the stars. Ridge made his way back down to his cabin. He opened the door and found Brooke lying on the bed in a fetal position. He smiled at how young and vulnerable she looked.
“Asleep Logan.” He whispered, but then he heard her soft cries. “Logan?” Ridge went to the bed and sat down. He pulled her into his arms and she started sobbing even harder.
“Nick.” She murmured quietly.
“What? What did he do to you? If he hurt you I’ll kill him!”
“No.” She cried and held onto him, her tears soaking through his shirt. “No Ridge, just leave it alone.”
“What did he do to you? Logan I swear, you tell me or I’ll go find him and tear him apart!”
“Oh Ridge, oh God Ridge, I can’t, I just can’t.” She looked up at him as a large teardrop ran down her cheek.
“You can and you will. Tell me what he did Logan, tell me now.” He was getting angrier with every tear of hers that fell. “I knew that man was no good. What did he do to you?”
“I love him Ridge, I love him so much.” She confessed. Ridge felt like he had been sucker punched. He let her go and looked at her. Confusion and anger came over his face.
“Logan? Please tell me you don’t mean that.”
“I’m sorry Ridge. I’m so sorry. I should have told you right away, but with Carla and everything else I just didn’t know what to do. I don’t know what to do at all anymore. He said he loved me, but he doesn’t. He loves her and now I’m lost, I’m so lost Ridge.”
“Listen Brooke, this is all overwhelming to you. You’ve been alone with him and maybe part of you thinks you love him, maybe you even do as a person, but you and Parker? No Brooke, I don’t believe you could love a man like him. You don’t even know him. Everything just got confusing for you when we got here, that’s all.”
Brooke wiped her eyes on the back of her hand and freed herself from his arms. “Ridge you don’t understand.”
“I’m trying to.” He answered.
“I do know him and I do love him. Now I’ve lost him, I’ve lost him.”
“You have to think rationally Brooke, he was here with you, you two were alone, maybe you did think you loved him. But it’s not real.”
“It is real. Ridge it’s very real, more real than you could ever imagine.”
Ridge was hurt and stunned. He had never even considered the chance that anything could have happened between them. He still didn’t. “Logan, you didn’t sleep with him did you?”
“Oh God Ridge, aren’t you listening to me?” She started to cry. “I’m in love with him. Yes, I slept with him.”
“No.” He shook his head. “No Logan, you couldn’t.”
“I’m sorry Ridge, I didn’t mean for it to happen, neither of us did but I fell in love with him and now I’ve lost him and I just want to die. How am I supposed to just go home and pretend I don’t love him.” She whispered, almost too softly for him to hear her, but he did.
“No.” He refused to believe it.
“I love him and he went back to her. He just forgot me, he forgot everything. He doesn’t care about me or anything we’ve been through. After you left, I heard them, they made love, she was screaming his name. He knew I was right next to them and he still did that. It’s like he wanted me to hear them. He wanted me to know that it was her, it was always her. How can I go on? I love him so much? How am I supposed to just forget him? How?”
“Oh Logan, Logan.” He moaned. “I came for you. For us.”
“Listen.” She sobbed. “They’re at it again.”
Ridge looked at Brooke and then was silent. He heard the moans and the creaking coming from the next room. He didn’t know if he should be angry for Brooke or relieved for himself. “Bastard.” He muttered and then he remembered. Nick was at the shelter, he wasn’t there. It was a defining moment, one where Ridge could do one thing or another. It would determine his future, and Brooke’s. Nick wasn’t with Carla, but Brooke didn’t know that, did she ever have to know that?


“I’m sorry Bridget.” Deacon held the girl as tears ran down her cheeks. “I hated to give you this news but someone had to. You had a right to know and your father and Stephanie wanted to keep it from you, they wanted to keep it from me too.”
“Wwwwho told you?” She looked up at him with her sad, puppy dog eyes.
“I was in my office and Taylor and Thorne were outside, I overheard them.”
“He’s gone? He’s gone too?” She asked. “He went to find my mother and now I’ll never see him again.”
“I’m sorry.” Deacon stroked her hair. “But don’t you worry Bridget, I’m here and I won’t leave you.”
“Not Ridge too.” She cried. “I can’t get over losing my Mom and now I’ve lost Ridge too. Why wouldn’t they tell me?”
“I guess they’re clinging to hope, and you can too. I just thought you deserved to know what was going on, even if they didn’t think so.”
“I’m not a child, they don’t have to lie to me.”
“No they don’t.” He agreed.
“They think I can’t do anything Deacon, they think I’m a stupid kid. Sometimes I really hate them. You’re the only one I can count on now.”
“You can always count on me Bridget.” He pulled her to him and smiled. It was working out just like he hoped it would.
“I’m going to show them, I’m going to show them all.”
“You just be strong for me.” Deacon told her.
“They don’t care about me, not like you do.”
“No one cares about you like I do baby.” He kissed her hair.
“They’re going to start respecting you Deacon.” She let go and looked at him with determination. “You’re my husband and they are going to respect that, they’re going to learn to respect us both!”


Ridge took a deep breath and took Brooke into his arms. “Brooke you can’t love him, you don’t even know him. And he does love her, she told me all about them, they have a history like ours, stormy but loving. He used you, he used you because he missed her, but he has her again. Listen to them Brooke, they are in love and he’s not thinking about you, he’s where he belongs again, he’s where he wants to be. And Brooke, you’re where you belong too, right in my arms.” A part of Ridge felt badly. He could have told her the truth, he could have told her that Nick wasn’t even in that room, he could have stopped her tears but he didn’t. Brooke sobbed louder and held on tighter to him.
“How can he do that to me? How can he do that when he knows I’m right here?”
Ridge listened to the noises again. It became obvious to him that Carla was fully aware of what had been going on. She was protecting her relationship with Nick, just like he was with his with Brooke. It was better for everyone in the long run. Brooke and Nick didn’t belong together, it wasn’t really love, it was just confusion and it needed to stop before it went any further. ‘It’s for your own good Brooke.’ Ridge’s consciousness told him. He believed it with everything in his head and his heart. “He loves her, he wants her, Brooke you need to see that. He doesn’t love you, he loves Carla.”
“Shhhh.” Brooke said. “They’re quiet now.”
“For now, they must be sleeping. You need to get these crazy ideas about loving him out of your head Brooke. It’s not love, it’s not.”
“I never thought that I’d love again Ridge.” She wiped her nose and sadly looked into his eyes. “I thought love was just something I’d never have. I loved you so much and I loved Thorne, I did love him. But nothing ever worked for me. I went away to get over you and to get over love. I didn’t even want to think about love.”
“You don’t love him.” He repeated.
“When I met him on the plane he was such a snob.” She laughed and smiled at the memory. “He called me a snob but he was the real snob, but Ridge he was so handsome. He hated me and I guess I hated him too. I tried to talk to him and make friends but all he did was roll his eyes and look at his newspaper. I was bad too, I couldn’t stop checking him out, I was so attracted to him, but he got so angry. He even made fun of me for looking at his crotch.” Brooke had to laugh at the memory. “And then when the pilot started to smoke his weed he got so mad at me when I got scared.”
“He got mad at you? Why the hell did that jerk get mad at you?” Ridge was furious and more determined than ever to make Brooke see that this was not love, not by a long shot.
“I smelled it and Nick did too and I wanted him to stop him but Nick wouldn’t do anything.”
“Coward.” Ridge muttered.
“No, not really. He was just being realistic. We had chartered this guy and it was his own plane and like Nick said, he probably couldn’t fly unless he WAS high. Besides, he couldn’t fly a plane, I couldn’t fly a plane, what were we supposed to do? Rush the pilot?”
“No wonder you were scared. Logan why did you ever get on that plane?”
“In retrospect it seems stupid but at the time it wasn’t Ridge. We were all so hot and so tired and there was nothing going anywhere and I just wanted to get to the next hotel and have a nice cool shower.”
“Okay so the big hero thinks it’s fine to fly stoned. He’s probably into drugs too Logan.”
“Not Nick.” Brooke smiled. “He’s very grounded. He’s smart and sensible and maybe even too serious. He’s wonderful.”
“Doesn’t sound so wonderful to me.” Ridge muttered.
“We didn’t really hit it off at all but when the plane went down he was there, he tried to save us and I was so scared.”
“Of course you were scared Logan, but just because he survived too doesn’t mean you love him.”
“I don’t love him because we were both scared. That came later.”
“Tell me about it then, help me to understand.” He gave her such a hopeless look that she felt she had to.
“I was alone. I thought I was going to drown and I thought no one else survived. Part of me just wanted to give up, but when I closed my eyes to do that, I saw Bridget and Rick and I knew I had to try.” She explained.
“Thank God for that.”
“So I pushed and I kicked and I made it to the beach. Then I spent the next couple of days trying to figure out how to survive. I combed the beach and found things that washed up from the plane. I had my suitcase, I had used it as a raft and I had some water, but I knew I needed more. I found coconuts and I remembered that movie Castaway and I figured out how to open them. I found a small stream and so I knew I could get by. I decided somehow to find a way to catch a fish. I was just wishing that I wasn’t alone and that someone would find me.”
“And where was Superman? Sitting on his ass eating fish and fruit?” He asked with sarcasm.
“Nick isn’t a swimmer. He made it around the bend, but it’s nothing but rocks around there. He was sick from taking in so much water. He had a fever and he was hungry. He ate some raw clams or snails or something and he tried to climb but it was too hard.”
“Poor baby.” Ridge scoffed.
“Don’t!” Brooke said angrily. “You can’t imagine how hard it was Ridge. How dare you make fun of it.”
“Sorry. I just can’t seem to manage sympathy for that loser.”
“He’s not a loser. Now do you want to hear the rest or not?” She asked him.
Knowing that if they stopped talking she’d start crying and thinking about Nick again he decided this was the best course. “Yeah Logan, I want to hear everything.”


“Oranges.” Nick said, dropping the fruit on the bed. “Just as requested.” He grinned.
“Thank you Nick.” Carla smiled at him. “Join me?”
“No thanks.” He sat down and picked one up, nervously moving it from one hand to the other.
“What’s wrong?” She asked.
“Everything.” He tried to smile, but sadness covered his face.
“It will get easier.” Carla gently covered his hand with her own.
“I don’t know about that.”
“Believe me, it will once we get home. Once you get back into your normal routine things will look better.”
“Do you really think normal will be normal again?” He asked. “I’m serious Carla. I was thinking about everything while I walked back. I just don’t know if anything will ever feel right again. There are so many things I haven’t told you. So many things going on in my head. I want to do what’s right but I’ll be damned if I even have a clue to what that is.”
“You can talk to me about anything, you know that.”
“I always could, but this is different. How do I talk to you about loving someone else? I don’t want to hurt you, I don’t want to lie to you or lead you on. I don’t want to lie to myself either. You know, before you got here there was a part of me that didn’t even want to be rescued. I think I would have been happy just living the rest of my life here alone with Brooke. But that wasn’t going to happen either.” He sighed and looked up at her. “And I know it was selfish of me, and stupid. I had to think about and Brooke had her kids, yet part of me just didn’t want to lose what we have here. Does that make any sense to you?”
“Yes.” She said softly. “But Nick, you know that you wouldn’t really want that.”
“We were so happy. We really were and we had food and shelter and each other. But I know that things got complicated and it made it dangerous. That’s why I built the raft. That’s why I was going to get her home. But still, a part of me just wanted to hold her and just forget reality and just live this simple life that we had. I did want to go home, but I wasn’t looking forward to things changing either. I was so happy. We had our own little Garden of Eden.”
“And a hell too Nick, you need to remember the bad things too.”
“Oh I know. We had to struggle to just live. We had to make our own food and shelter. We had no modern conviences and yet I found a paradise that made me happier than I had ever been in my entire life.”
“You really do love her.” Carla’s eyes clouded with unshed tears.
“I can’t lie to you, not anymore. Yes, I love her, I love her more than I even knew was possible. But I know I was deluding myself now. I know that her heart is home and even if I was happy just being here with her, she would never be.”
“You wouldn’t have been either. Maybe for a year or so, but you’d want to go home eventually too Nick. Don’t you think so?” She asked him.
“I think so.” He admitted. “But now what happens? I go home to New York, she goes home to LA, we never see each other, he raises my kid. I just can’t deal with this.”
“Your kid? Oh my God Nick. She’s pregnant?”


Tatiana took a bite of her apple and turned the page in the file she had printed out. Gently she touched Ridge’s picture with her finger. “I wonder what you would have thought of me.” She said.
”I imagine you would have been shocked and hopefully you would have hated her. Maybe you did already, you left her didn’t you?” She turned another page and scowled down at Taylor’s smiling face. “You bitch. You hurt my father, you didn’t care about me and you ruined your own marriage. I am going to make you pay like no one ever has before. And I will make everyone and anything that loves you pay too.” She turned the page and glanced at the picture of the Forrester family standing in front of Forrester Creations. She took another bite and put the apple down. There were a lot of people in the photo, some she had met, some she hadn’t. Ridge was standing with his arm around Taylor, their three children sat in front of them. Tatiana was angered by what she perceived as a smirk on Taylor’s face. “Bitch.” She muttered again. She looked at the children again. “You were loved, she wanted you. I wonder what you will think of your bitch mother when I’m done?” Next to Taylor and Ridge stood Eric and Stephanie. She hadn’t met them yet, but she knew much about them. They started the company together and they had been married and divorced and were now remarried. Somehow, she didn’t have all the details, nor did she care, but Brooke Logan had gained controlling interest in the company. She looked for Brooke in the photo and found her off to the side. “I guess they shunned you Brooke. Too bad you died, maybe we could have had some interesting conversations.” She saw Bridget, Brooke’s daughter, but Deacon was not a part of the photo. “Because you are the black sheep or was this prior to the marriage?” Tatiana wondered. Next to Bridget was Rick, Brooke’s son. On Eric and Stephanie’s other side was Thorne. “You’re a nice man, a bit naïve, but still nice.” Tatiana told the smiling man. “I will hate to hurt you but what must be must be.” On Thorne’s side were two women, a blonde and a brunette. The caption read Kristen and Felicia Forrester. “The true black sheep.” Tatiana noted. “I wonder why you never come back.” She looked at the entire family again and then put the picture down. “Soon, soon it will all start and you’ll all fall down, any of you who support her will fall down.”


“Nick swam all the way around to this part of the island. It was hard and he was sick but he pushed and pushed and he made it. I was over at the small shelter where we have the fire. I found him when I was on my morning walk.”
“That’s so like you Logan.” Ridge smiled. “Disaster happens and still you keep yourself fit.”
“Are you making fun of me?” She asked with a wince.
“No.” He adamantly replied. “I’m serious, you’re amazing Brooke, you really did everything to survive. I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks.” She said with a meek smile. “But it wasn’t that, at least not at that point. I was still searching, hoping to find anything I could use to survive, hoping to find someone alive and hoping to see a rescue boat or plane or anything. I was combing the beach when I saw him. I didn’t know who it was or if he was alive. I was so scared but I knew if he was alive I wasn’t alone anymore.”
Ridge looked at the woman in front of him. Suddenly it was all becoming real to him, the horror and the fears she must have had to deal with. “Alone. I never really thought what that would be like.” He admitted.
“Thankfully I wasn’t alone very long. I’m really not sure how I would have survived or if I would even have wanted to.” Brooke’s eyes teared up. “When I got to him he looked dead and I prayed that it wasn’t the man I had been fighting with on the plane. I didn’t like him Ridge, but I didn’t want him to be dead. When I turned him over I saw it was he. He was so cold. I was sure he was dead, but then he moved and I felt the warmth from him, I knew he was alive and I was immediately determined to keep it that way.”
“You must have been relieved.”
“Actually I was more scared than ever. He was alive but barely and I knew that I was going to make the difference. He weighed a lot more then, we both did. He was a dead weight and I knew I had to get him to shelter. I knew I had to get his fever down and I knew I had to get some food and water into him.”
“What did you do?” Ridge found himself more caught up in her story than he had ever wanted to be.
“I made sort of a stretcher out of towels, I rolled him onto it and I dragged him back.”
“Wow, that was a good idea.” Ridge admitted. “Did it take you long to get back there?”
“A lot longer than I thought it would. It wasn’t far but he was heavy and a dead weight. Once we got there I got cool water and tried to break his fever. I got him to drink some water and even eat a piece of chocolate.”
“The candy.” Ridge said with recognition. “We saw the wrappers and wondered.”
“One of the things I found on my searches.” She smiled. “Candy in a waterproof suitcase.”
“So how long was he unconscious?” Ridge asked.
“Hours. I was scared, I kept washing him down and trying to comfort him. I talked to him the entire time.” She smiled. “I told him all about my life, you, Eric, Thorne, the kids.”
“No wonder he doesn’t like me.” Ridge laughed.
“Ridge it’s complicated.”
“I know, just trying to lighten it up a bit.”
“I wish I could make everything right, but I can’t.” Tears formed once more in her sad eyes.
“Come on Logan, tell me more.” Ridge touched her arm.
“Maybe it’s not a good idea.”
“You want me to understand.”
Brooke sighed and wiped her eyes again. “Finally he opened his eyes. The fever had broken and he was okay, weak, but okay.”
“I’m sure you were relieved.”
“I was, I was very relieved. I was asleep. Nick woke up and found himself in my arms, he was stunned and happy and grateful.” She turned to him and Ridge didn’t like the look on her face.
“Logan.” Ridge moaned.
“He kissed me and it woke me, I kissed him back. It was like a force of nature. Nothing could have stopped us, and I didn’t want it to, not then. It was just too powerful.”
“Logan no.”
“We didn’t plan it, it just happened. We were grateful to be alive, grateful not to be alone and it just happened.”
“You didn’t even know him.” Ridge was so upset and disappointed he couldn’t hide his hurt.
“I didn’t even know his name.” She admitted. “But the need was so intense. I couldn’t have stopped it if I tried, but I didn’t try Ridge. I needed it somehow, it was primal and basic and it was an affirmation of life. It wasn’t about love or even sex, it was about two people needing to be alive, to be close. I just can’t explain it. I’m not sure I even understand it. But it happened.”
“You took him inside your body? Brooke how could you?”
“Don’t judge me Ridge, you weren’t there, you don’t know how I felt, you have no idea what I’d been through.”
“You were in a plane crash, you almost died, you struggled to get to an island and the first thing you can think of doing is spread your legs for some stranger? Maybe I don’t know you Logan, maybe I don’t know you at all!”


“Pretend you didn’t hear that.” Nick told Carla.
“You’ve got to be kidding Nick.” Carla shook her head. “I can’t believe this, I really can’t.”
“You knew we were lovers Carla. You guessed it right away. You know me too well, I could never hide things from you and I don’t even want to start trying.”
“But I never thought you could be so careless!” Carla wanted no part of his lame attempt at an apology.
“Not exactly like we could walk to the local drug store.” Nick shrugged. Carla was aghast.
“You’re shrugging? This is a baby Nick, a baby that will complicate everyone’s life and you’re just shrugging it off like ‘Oops, I made a mistake’?”
“No.” He said strongly. “We didn’t plan it Carla, we didn’t plan to hurt you or anyone but this baby was conceived in love.”
“You arrogant bastard! You were both careless and you expect me to feel sorry for you because you couldn’t find a God damned condom? Why they hell weren’t you both more careful?”
“I should have been more careful, but I wasn’t! I know that! I was stupid! I put Brooke in danger. God I could kill myself when I think about it. What would I have done if she had complications? How could I have helped her or the baby? I thank God that you all came. At least my stupidity won’t cause Brooke or the baby any harm now. We will be home before it’s born. I was so stupid and so careless and, and now there’s a baby but damn it Carla, how am I supposed to just walk away and let him raise it?”
“Because Brooke wants you to.” She said softly.
“She’s confused. She doesn’t know what she wants.”
“Nick, she loves him.”
“So I just walk away? It’s my baby! Mine!”
“A baby is not a possession.”
“Carla I am not saying that.”
“What is it you want? This baby or Brooke?” She challenged.
“Both. I want them both.”
“And if she allows you in the baby’s life and still chooses to be with Ridge, can you accept that or would you even care about this baby?”
“How can you ask that?” Nick looked at her with a look of deep hurt.
“You’ve never wanted children, you’re not domestic Nick, I’ve seen your reactions in restaurants when mothers come in with their crying babies, to you it’s a major annoyance. Are you suddenly telling me you want that? I think you’re using this baby as a way to trap Brooke into a relationship that she just doesn’t want. That’s not fair to her or to the baby or even to you and it’s certainly not fair to me.”
“I’ve never been in this position before Carla. I never had my baby growing inside someone.” His eyes displayed such tenderness and such love that Carla felt the wind go out of her. “I love this baby and yes, I love his mother. But if she won’t have me, I can’t just let go. Can I? Can I let my kid grow up without his father?”
“Ridge would be a good father.” She whispered.
“Like he is to his own kids?” Nick asked.
“We don’t know how he is with them.”
“He left them to go find Brooke.” Nick argued.
“He left them safely with their mother. Nick you have no reason to accuse Ridge of not being a good father. Is Brooke a bad mother for taking this trip?”
“Her kids are grown.” He bantered.
“Does that make her any less their mother?”
“She’s a good mother and she did nothing wrong by taking a business trip Carla.”
“Good.” Carla smiled. “That’s my point, and Ridge did nothing wrong by taking this trip to find Brooke. If Ridge is Brooke’s husband he’ll be good to the baby and if you decide you want a part in it’s life, they will let you. But will you want this baby if you can’t have it’s mother? You need to think about that Nick.”


“You can be very cruel Ridge.” Brooke got up from the bed and walked to the small dresser. She opened the drawers and started pulling things out.
“What are you doing?” Ridge grumbled.
“Getting dressed. I’m going to sleep on deck. I don’t need to subject myself to your judgement. I’ve had a hard enough time and I just don’t need that.”
“Stop.” He got up and grabbed her upper arms and turned her to face him. “I’m sorry. I was shocked, I was hurt, I don’t like what I’m hearing, but don’t run out on me, we can talk this out, we can get past it.”
“Get past it? What am I supposed to get past Ridge? Loving Nick? Maybe I don’t want to. You’re not the sun, we don’t all just revolve around you!”
“Logan.”
“I was honest with you Ridge, I counted on you to be what you’ve always been to me.”
“What?” He asked angrily.
“My best friend.” She answered him.
“I want to be more. I am more Logan, what happened in the shower proves that.”
“Nothing happened in the shower.” Brooke winced.
“You can’t really believe that Logan. We almost made love.”
“No Ridge, we kissed, you held me and for a moment, we caressed each other and I was caught up in the memories, but I stopped it. We wouldn’t have made love, not while I was so involved with another man. I love you Ridge, but you keep pushing me for something I can’t give you. My heart is not there and my head is so confused. That’s why I really need you now.”
“You have me, body and soul Logan. I love you and I want to be your husband, I want to be everything to you.”
“I just need my best friend right now Ridge. I really need him.” Tears started to stream down her face.
“I’m sorry.” He said softly. He gently led her back to the bed and sat her down. “Talk to me, tell me the rest.”
“You’ll only judge me.” She pouted.
“No Logan, I’m sorry, really, just talk to me, I’ll listen, I’ll be fair, I was just hurt, I love you, I want a life with you, this was a shock but we can get past it, I know we can.”
“I’m not sure I want to get past it Ridge, I love him.”
“Maybe if I could understand, but Logan, that doesn’t sound like love to me. It sounds like fear and relief and maybe even some wild kind of a passion, but love?”
“It was more than that Ridge. That was just the start, but we grew closer, there is so much more. Are you really willing to listen to me? To hear me out?”
“If it takes all night Brooke, I’m here.” He put his arm around her and pulled her close. “You be patient with me too, cause it’s not easy for me either.”


“You really think she’ll do that don’t you?” Nick asked Carla. “You really think she’ll marry him and just raise my kid like it was his.”
“She’ll tell the child, when the time is right, but Nick, she loves him and he loves her. He’s been searching so hard for her. I’ve never seen a man more in love with a woman, not even in the movies.”
“You don’t know her and how close we’ve become.” Nick argued.
“But Nick, this isn’t the real world. Do you think you even would have looked at her if you’d met her in New York?”
“Of course I would.” He quickly answered.
“Because she’s beautiful maybe.” Carla took a deep breath. “But Nick, you would have thought of her as some airhead, superficial California blonde.”
“She’s not like that at all!” Nick was angry.
“You know that now, but that would have been your first impression. She would have annoyed you. You need to be honest with yourself.”
“She did.” He smiled. He was silent as the memories went through his head. “She kept talking and I just wanted to read my paper and get home to the city. She was checking me out and making me really nervous. She was babbling about everything and I just wanted her to be quiet. Yeah Carla, she annoyed the hell out of me, but I didn’t know her then. I didn’t know how precious everything about her was. I didn’t know her at all.”
“And you do now?” She wondered.
“Intimately.”
“Aside from sex Nick, what do you know about her?”
“We talk Carla.” He objected. “I know about her life, her childhood, she was a girl scout. She has two sisters and a brother and parents in Paris. She grew up without a father. She was a tomboy, she was fun and spirited and beautiful. I know about her children, Rick and Bridget and their spouses. I know about her marriages to Ridge and his father and his brother. I know she fell in love with Ridge before she even met him and yes, I know that makes him really hard competition. I know she is athletic and smart and funny and sweet. I know she crinkles her nose when she gets mad, God I love that little squint of hers. I know she loves fashion but is most comfortable in tee shirts and jeans. I know she is beautiful and kind and I know she loves me. I know she’s carrying my baby and I know she’s scared, I know she’s scared but she wants to be with me. I know her Carla, I really know her.”
“But what do you know about being with her in her world or your world. In reality things change.”
“So we learn and we grow, we find more in common. We have shared interests and our own interests. It will be wonderful, it will be.” He stopped and looked into her eyes. “Who am I fooling? I’ve already lost her. She wants him and their life back, our baby is a complication that she and Ridge will work out. She doesn’t want me at all does she?”


“We fought more than we got along. We disagreed about everything, sometimes simply on principle. I was determined to hate everything about him and he about me. But it wasn’t that easy. The attraction was enormous. No matter how hard we tried to keep a distance we were pulled together like there was a giant magnet. I hated myself for letting it go so far, I hated him for the feelings that he brought out in me and he felt the same way. We acted like children. We sparred about food and fire and fishing and our shelter. We called each other names.” Brooke laughed softly. “I call him Magellan and he calls me Princess.”
“I’m sure he means it in a derogatory way.” Ridge grumbled.
“Oh he did, and sometimes he still does, but other times he means it with nothing but love and affection.” She smiled again and continued with her story. “I had settled on this beach. I had found the small stream and I had coconuts and sea grapes and I was satisfied to stay right here.”
“Nothing wrong with that.” Ridge backed her up. “You had what you needed and you felt safe.”
“No, there isn’t. But I was afraid. I didn’t want to leave this spot because this was where I landed and this was where I felt someone would come for me. Nick wanted to explore and I didn’t want to go.”
“You were right and he was wrong Logan. This IS where we found you!”
“But Ridge, you found the waterfall. Nick was right. There was so much more for us and it was so close. I just needed to push my fears away and try. Nick was good about that. He pushed me.”
“You mean he forced you.” Ridge frowned. “He knew you were afraid and he forced you to leave a place where you felt safe and comfortable.”
“No. He didn’t force me, we argued and he won. He was right, I was wrong. We found a much better situation when we moved. I was afraid to take a chance but Nick wasn’t.” She took Ridge’s hand in her own. “Don’t be so angry at him Ridge. He’s never forced me to do anything, he’s encouraged me and he’s made me stronger. He’s taught me about myself Ridge. I’m not saying he’s a saint, he’s not, but he is a good man.”
“The good man made you do something you weren’t happy about.”
“I didn’t want to move, but he was right. Anyway, we fought about it and he was going to go alone and I got so angry. I wouldn’t let him take my spear or my water bottles.” Brooke laughed. “He was so mad at me. He started stomping off and I finally gave in. But we got to the cliff and it was rocky. I didn’t have shoes and I was ready to turn around and go back.”
“No shoes?” He looked down at her sneakers.
“They’re not mine, I’m getting there.” She told him. “I lost my shoes in the crash, I didn’t have any in my suitcase, I’d sent my bags on ahead. Anyway we stood there and Nick wouldn’t go without me.”
“Finally he thought of someone besides himself.” Ridge muttered.
“You don’t give up do you?” Brooke laughed. “He carried me piggyback.” She explained. “Once we got past the rocks it was sand and grass. We saw the other beach and like I said, Nick was right, it was a much better beach and the birds were all over the reef. I was sure that the fishing would be much easier. I told Nick to go on ahead and I’d catch up. So he went down and I slowly made my way down. Once I got to the beach I saw him in the water. He called to me to stay back but I didn’t listen.”
“What happened? Why didn’t he want you to follow him? Was it the sharks Brooke? Did he take you from a safe beach to one with sharks?”
“Would you please stop Ridge. Nick is not the enemy.” Brooke was getting very frustrated. She let out a sigh and shook her head. “You’re acting like a child.”
“Sorry.” He muttered. “So what was it if it wasn’t sharks?”
“Naomi, the girl, or what was left of her. Nick didn’t want me to see her, but I was playing Jane to his Tarzan so you couldn’t have stopped me. It was very upsetting. All that was left were her legs and her lower body. Nick dragged her to the shore to bury her and he took her shoes off for me. I was disgusted and I didn’t want them.”
“I don’t blame you. How could he expect you to wear shoes off a mutilated body? The guy has no class Logan, none.”
“Are you crazy?” Brooke gasped. “Ridge I was barefoot and they were a perfectly good pair of sneakers. I was wrong. He was right. And believe me, I was happy to have them.” She got quiet as she remembered. “I helped him bury her and suddenly all the fighting just seemed so stupid. I was sad and scared and I just was a mess. He knew it and he held me, he held me in his arms all night long. I don’t know when I ever felt so protected in my life.”
Her last comment cut him like a knife. “I’ve protected you Logan.”
“This isn’t a pissing contest Ridge. I’m trying to explain to you why things turned out the way they did. I’m trying to make you understand just what it is that we share and why this is hurting me so much. Maybe I shouldn’t be telling you, maybe too much has happened between us, but I really did think of you as my best friend Ridge.”
“I hate that you keep saying that Logan. I’m more than a friend. I want to be your husband.”
“Ridge.” Brooke softly whispered his name. “You’re pressuring me.”
“Sorry.” He mumbled.
“Shall I stop? It seems the more I tell you about Nick the more upset you are.”
“I don’t like hearing about how wonderful he is to you. That’s my role Logan, I’m the man who loves you, I’m the man who searched the oceans for you. I’m the man you need, we have history, you know me, I know you, we love each other Logan, we do.”
“Don’t.” Brooke begged.
“I don’t mean to pressure you, I just want you to open your eyes. Brooke we are reality! Parker? He’s just an illusion.”
“No. No Ridge, that’s what I’m trying to tell you. That night, that night he held me and comforted me. He showed me just how much he really cared. He didn’t have to say anything, his actions said it all. Things changed then. We got closer, we started falling in love.”
“It’s not love. It’s not real.” Ridge protested.
“You weren’t there.” She argued. “We connected on such a deep level. I know you don’t like this and I know you don’t think it’s real but to me it is and now my heart is breaking. He doesn’t love me anymore, he loves her and my heart is breaking.”


“I’m sorry that you’re hurting, I don’t like to see you hurting but am I supposed to be sorry that it won’t work out? I think that’s asking a little much of me Nicholas.” Carla looked at her reflection in the mirror and frowned. Nick stood behind her and put his arms around her waist.
“I hate when you do that.” He told her.
“You’re not used to seeing me jealous.” She stated.
“That’s not what I meant, and no, I don’t like that either. I meant the way you look at yourself.”
“I’m no competition. She’s beautiful and I’m so plain.” She sighed, pushed her hair behind her ears and looked at herself again. “But I never really thought of you as superficial.”
“I’m not.” He turned her to face him. “And Carla, you are beautiful. The first time I laid eyes on you I was amazed at how beautiful you were. But what attracted me most to you was what was inside. You have an amazing intelligence. Not just book smart, you’re instinctive too. I admire you and respect you and.”
“You could be talking about a college professor Nick. I’m a woman, I’m the woman you proposed marriage to.”
“You didn’t let me finish.” He told her. “I love you Carla, I do love you. But I’m not ‘in love’ with you, no more than you are with me. You know that it’s true. I care so much about you, I love you, I really do love you, but Carla, we’re not in love and we never have been. I never really knew that before or maybe I thought that it made no difference. We completed each other in so many ways, we’re compatible.”
“Now I feel like a pet dog.” She sighed.
“Is this what you really want Carla? You want to settle for me? I think you deserve so much more.”
“We can be happy Nick. Once we get away from here we will be happy. Weren’t we happy before?” She asked.
“I wish I knew.” He said with a sad resignation. “Because frankly I don’t think I knew what happiness meant before and now it all seems like it was an illusion.”
“We had a good life.” She told him.
“We did.” He agreed. “I didn’t have a single complaint. But now I just wonder if that’s good enough.”
“For you?” She asked.
“For either of us.” Nick answered. He let her go and walked to the bed. He picked up one of the blankets.
“Where are you going?” She asked him. “Or should I bother asking?”
“Carla.” Nick turned to her.
“I know you were with her last night.” She sat down on the bed. “I guess it’s a waste of energy trying to get you to just think about it isn’t it?”
“That’s exactly what I am doing Carla. I need to think and I can’t do that if I’m sharing a bed with you or with anyone.”
“Where are you going then?” She asked.
“Since the local Holiday Inn is booked solid.” Nick said in an attempt at humor. “I thought I’d just go to the old shelter.”
“The waterfall?” Carla bit her lip as she asked him.
“No, the old shelter, under the trees, by where we have our fire, right down the beach. Hell, you can see me from the boat.” He assured her. “I just need time alone, time to think.”
“Nick.” Carla started. “No, never mind.”
“What?” He asked.
“Just this.” She got up, walked to him and gently kissed him on the lips. “Just that.”


Ridge had comforted and soothed Brooke for hours until she finally relented and got into bed. He held her in his arms until she cried herself to sleep. Ridge had lain awake feeling guilty but also feeling, in his heart that he had done the right thing. When he woke up the next morning he was surprised to find Brooke at the mirror brushing her hair.
“Hey Logan, are you okay?” He asked as he sat up.
“Fine.” She turned to him and smiled brightly.
“Wow.” He smiled back at her.
“I did a lot of thinking Ridge.” Brooke put down the brush, walked to the bed and sat down next to him. “For a long time I kept telling Nick that I wasn’t going to be the other woman, never again. I told him I’d never break up an engagement or a marriage. I told him he belonged with Carla and that I wanted him to go back to her. I guess I needed to listen to my own words too. I woke up this morning with a new attitude, at least I hope so.”
“So you’re going to forget that love stuff?” Ridge asked.
“I’ll never forget him Ridge, but I already had set him free. I’m going to accept that and go home and pick up my life there. I have my children and my company. I have so much to be thankful for. And thanks to you I have another chance.” She smiled and took his hand.
“You have me too Logan. We can do it this time, I swear this is our time. I love you and I want to marry you. Please say yes, please.”
“There’s something more Ridge, something you don’t know, something that changes everything.” She let go of his hand and looked down at her lap. “I don’t imagine you’ll feel the same way. I hope you’ll still care about me.”
“What is it Logan?” He frowned. “Nothing can change my love for you. You have to believe that.”
“Nick will always be a part of me Ridge. He will move on and marry Carla, but he will always be a part of me.”
“I will never try to destroy your memory of him Brooke, I don’t understand it and I don’t really believe it’s love, but I won’t try to change your feelings. I just hope in time you’ll realize that it just wasn’t what you thought it was. I’m here for you Logan, I won’t let you down.”
“Ridge.” Brooke looked straight into his eyes. “When we get home, I’ll tell you more, I just don’t want any more animosity between you and Nick. Once we’re home you’ll understand and then if you still feel this way, we can see what happens. No promises Ridge, I love him and I won’t just forget him, but I will survive.”
“I won’t do anything to him Logan, just tell me, please.”
“I can’t right now. I have to be fair to Nick and Carla. Let’s just work on getting this boat fixed and getting home. I really miss my kids. I want to see them, I want to talk to them. Let’s just make that happen.”
“I’ll get you home soon Logan, I promise you, everything will be okay.”
“I will survive this Ridge.” She said triumphantly.
“You’ll forget him in no time.” He said with confidence.
“No, no I won’t Ridge. But I love him enough to let him go. His happiness is more important to me than mine, and I know Carla will make him happy.” She had a look of serenity on her face. “Please don’t say anything to them. I want to say goodbye to him in my own way in my own time.”
“I won’t say a word.” Ridge promised. He hated to see the sadness on her face but he truly felt that she would see how right he was and how happy he could make her.
“Ridge, may I ask a favor of you?” Brooke took his hands. “It’s very important to me. I know it will seem wrong and I’m not using you, but please, let me ask this of you?”
“Anything.” Ridge answered, sealing both their fates.


Nick was stretching and yawning when Carla approached him carrying a mug of coffee. “I hope I’m not intruding.” She said. “But I thought you could use this.”
“Thanks.” He walked to her and took the mug. “You can’t imagine how much I’ve missed this.”
“I know you’re a bear in the morning when you don’t get your fix.” She smiled. “So was it helpful? Did you get a good night’s rest?”
“I was awake most of the night. I did a lot of thinking.” He took a gulp.
“And?” She was anxious and very nervous.
“There’s no easy answer. I don’t want to hurt anyone, I don’t want to be hurt myself and there’s a baby to consider.”
“And if she doesn’t want you?” Carla felt a chill, though the weather was very warm.
“She doesn’t want me.” He answered. “And I’m not fit to be a single father. And I could never take a child from her. It’s going to kill me Carla, but I have to do what she wants. I’ll walk away. She wants him and I have to trust her instincts.”
“You’re going to let her go?” Carla was stunned.
“I could never force her into a life she doesn’t want. But I’m going to talk to her. She needs to know that I’m not walking away because I don’t care, I’m doing it because I do care. It was wrong of me to even dream about living a life here with her. She would have been in danger and the baby too. I was being selfish and stupid and I know that it was only a fool’s dream. You know, you’re right. We are from different worlds. She turned to him so quickly when he came. I wanted to believe what we had was stronger, but it wasn’t. It was an illusion, just like you said, just like Brooke kept telling me. But it was the realest illusion that I’ve ever seen. It was the most real thing that I ever felt in my life.”
“And you can just walk away?” She asked.
“Because I love her and because it’s what she wants.”
“What next?” Carla wondered.
“I go home. I go back to work. I try to go on.” He shook his head. “Nothing will ever be the same.”
“And us?” She asked.
“I love you Carla, but we’re not in love with each other. Once I was, no, we were both willing to settle. I can’t. I can’t do it to you or to me.”
“Maybe it’s what I want.”
“I want to be a part of your life. I want to be your friend. But I can’t marry you Carla, I can’t.”
“You don’t want to marry me?” Carla wasn’t expecting this, not at this point.
“It’s not a matter of not wanting to Carla. I just know it’s wrong, it’s wrong for us both. Somewhere out there someone is waiting for you, waiting to love you the way you deserve to be loved. Someone who will lose their breath just looking at you. I can’t take that from you. I do love you but we can’t give that to each other. Once I thought that what we had was enough, once I thought it was perfect. I know better now and we both deserve so much more. But I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to lose you from my life. I know it’s selfish and I won’t blame you if you slap me and tell me you never want to see me again, but I don’t want to lose you.”
“Nick, please don’t decide on this like this. Things will feel different when we get home. Don’t give up on us, please don’t.”
“Carla, I’d never give up on you. All I could do last night was think about how badly I’ve hurt you and how selfish I’ve been, both to you and to Brooke. All I’ve done was think about myself. I’m trying to think about both of you now. I’m not giving up on you, I’m just trying to be honest.”
“Are you sure?” She asked. “Or are you thinking if she knows you broke our engagement that she’ll come back to you?”
“I can understand you feeling that way, but I swear that’s not my intention.”
“Then prove it to me.” She demanded.
“How?” Nick asked.
“By telling her that we are getting married. If you really want to set her free and this isn’t just a game to get her back let her think we are still a couple.” She stared him hard in the face. “If you do that, then it will prove it.”


“What’s going on?” Deacon asked Bridget as they pulled into the busy Forrester parking lot. There were media vans all over the place. Television, radio and newspaper people seemed to be converging on them.
“This has to be about Ridge.” Bridget said as she grabbed Deacon’s hand. “Do you think something happened?”
“Maybe they just found out Bridge, Eric had been trying to keep it a secret, remember, he didn’t even want you to know.”
“How are we supposed to get in?” She asked. “They’ll swoop down and swarm us. If they ask us questions I’ll look so stupid.”
“Just don’t say anything. I’ll get you inside. Or.” He pulled out his phone. “I can call Charlie in Security and have him meet us at the car.”
“No. We’ll just walk in and ignore them. Maybe we can learn something from their questions.” She answered.
“That’s my girl.” Deacon smiled.
“Besides, I am not going to let any of them stop me from my plans. Dad and Stephanie are going to listen to me whether they like it or not. I’m a major stock holder in this company and they better get used to it.”
“Is Rick coming?” Deacon asked with a frown. He didn’t like Rick very much and he didn’t want another Forrester trying to turn Bridget against him. Yet he knew that it was important to have him on their side.
“No. He’s really sick with that cold.” Bridget reminded her husband. “Look, Taylor’s car.” She pointed to the silver SUV.
“This has to be about him then. Are you sure you’re up to this?” Deacon asked with genuine concern.
“I lost my Mom, I got through it because of you. I can handle this too, as long as you’re by my side.” She smiled at him.
“It’s the only place in the world I want to be Bridget.” He stopped the car and looked at her. “Are you ready baby?”
“I’m ready.” She took a deep breath and they got out of the car.


“Did you call Rick?” Eric asked Stephanie as he looked out the window. “My God, they’re swarming like locusts.”
“This is big news, especially after Brooke.” Megan poured water into glasses.
“Rick isn’t up to it.” Stephanie answered. “It’s not important, no one will miss him. They will only care about the news of Ridge.”
“He and Bridget are majority stock owners now.” Megan stated to a room full of frowns. “I just thought the press might ask.”
“All they want to know is what was going on with Ridge.” Eric answered her.
“Have they been asking why he was there?” Stephanie frowned.
“They asked me as I came in.” Megan admitted.
“What did you tell them?” Eric practically jumped down her throat.
“Dad, she’s on our side okay?” Thorne got up and walked over to Megan. “She’s just trying to be helpful.”
“I’m sorry Megan, I’m sure you were discreet.” Eric picked up his glass and took a long gulp. “Taylor?” He turned to his former daughter-in-law. “You know you don’t have to be here.”
“What?” She gasped. “He was my husband, he’s the father of my children, of course I have to be here.”
“Eric just meant it if it was too painful for you.” Stephanie walked up to her and put her arm around her. “You’ve had so much pain.”
“I’m alright.” She pushed the older woman off and walked to the window, peering out.
“She’s upset, leave her be.” Eric warned his wife.
“She’s very angry Eric, she still loves him.”
“If only she could have convinced him of that before he left.” He said with an equal amount of anger and sadness.
“You’re blaming me?” Taylor squawked as she turned around to them. “You’re saying this is my fault?”
“Where’s Jonathan?” Stephanie asked, ignoring Taylor.
“He’s in court, he can’t come.” Thorne answered. “He’s sending someone in his place.”
“That is unacceptable. I will not have some flunky addressing the press. Why wasn’t I notified? You know I would have made him make the time!” Stephanie was furious.
“I’m sorry Stephanie, it just didn’t seem that important to me considering the reason for this conference.” Eric picked up a piece of paper. “What can a lawyer do or say to change anything?”
“He could take control and help us when the vultures zoom in Eric!” Stephanie was furious.
“No, no you’re not going to gloss over this like it wasn’t said. You blamed me! You’re acting like if I had been a better wife Ridge never would have gone off after her! You are!” Taylor looked at Eric and then at Stephanie.
“That’s not what I meant.” Eric appealed to her. “We’re all very emotional, we’re all saying things we don’t mean. We all love you Taylor and no one blames you for anything.”
“That’s not how it looks to me.” She frowned.
“He apologized Taylor, can’t you just accept it and move on?” Stephanie hissed.
“What?” Taylor turned quickly to face Stephanie.
“Taylor, calm down.” Thorne took the younger woman’s arm. “Come on, let’s go get some coffee okay?”
“I don’t need coffee Thorne.”
“Please.” He asked again.
“I just don’t understand this attitude. I lost a husband, I’m hurting too. This wasn’t my fault and I resent the implication.”
“We’re all overreacting. Come on.” He gently led her out of the office.
“You were rough on her.” Eric told Stephanie.
“You’re the one who suggested she could have made a difference.” She countered.
“Thorne’s right, we can’t be fighting among ourselves, it won’t bring Ridge back.” He clenched his teeth and angrily punched the table. “How much more can this family take? How much?”
“My baby.” Stephanie said softly. Suddenly she clutched the chair and stumbled into it. “He’s gone, he’s really gone. I’ve lost my baby, my baby.” Tears started to stream down her normally calm face. “My God Eric, our son is dead.”


“I don’t want to lie to her and I don’t want to lie to you either Carla.”
“You just don’t want her to turn away.” She said. “How did we get to this point Nick?”
“My whole life changed.” He admitted. “Nothing can ever be the same, not now.”
“So you’re going to tell her it’s over for us?” She asked.
“I don’t know what I’m going to tell her, but I need to talk to her. We need to be honest with each other. We’ve all been walking on tiptoes since you and Ridge got here and it’s unfair to all of us. I know you didn’t ask for this.”
“Neither did Ridge.” Carla pointed out.
“You’re not going to change my mind Carla. I’m going to talk to her. I’ll accept her decision, but she needs to know how I feel about her. I’m sorry Carla, I really am but I just can’t let her slip out of my life without at least letting her know how I feel. I know it’s over, but I need to have time to talk to her. Maybe, maybe she’ll let me have a place in the baby’s life.”
“I guess you’ll be getting your chance.” She gestured at Brooke and Ridge who were approaching them.
“Do me a favor?” Nick looked hopefully at Carla. “Keep him occupied so I can have some time alone with her?”
“I’ll try.” She sighed.


“Bridget, do you know Tatiana?” Deacon asked his wife. They had found her waiting in his office.
“Yes, we’ve met.” Bridget smiled at the young woman. “She’s going to be the spokes model for the tribute line.”
“That’s right.” Deacon winked at Tatiana. “So what are you doing here? Weren’t you supposed to be working with Giovanni today?”
“I was, but with the press conference going on Mr. Forrester postponed it. Thorne suggested that I wait in his office but I got bored.” She blew on her nails, which she had just painted with a coat of polish.
“Are they having a press conference?” Deacon asked. “Without us?”
“Maybe Dad left us a message.” Bridget suggested.
“Yeah, and maybe I won the election for president.” Deacon sarcastically answered her. “Nope. They don’t want us there, but we’re going.” He took Bridget’s arm.
“Maybe we should wait.”
“Baby, you’re the majority stockowner and Brooke Logan’s daughter, not to mention the acting CEO’s daughter too. We’re going.”
“Did my father say what this was about?” Bridget asked.
Tatiana looked uncomfortable as she looked first at Bridget and then at Deacon. “Ridge Forrester. I believe they may have more news on his disappearance.”
“The press got the story.” Deacon told Bridget.
“I’m not sure I can do this.” She answered.
“You have me at your side baby, you can do it. This is your company Bridget. Remember that. This is your company.”
“You’re right Deacon. They can’t push us aside.” She smiled at him. “I’m ready.”
“Wait here.” Deacon told Tatiana. “I need to talk to you after this.”
“I’ll be here.” She swung her thick hair back.


“Taylor, I’m sorry.” Eric got up and hugged her when she and Thorne returned. “I was out of line and I didn’t mean it. Please accept my apology.”
“We’re all wound up.” She said softly. “Let’s just get through today.”
“He won’t pick up!” Stephanie angrily slammed down the phone.
“Jonathan?” Eric asked.
“Yes. Eric, you call him.”
“He said he was sending someone.” Eric sighed.
“I don’t want a flunky!” Stephanie argued.
“And you won’t have one.” Connor Davis announced as he entered.
“Connor.” Taylor smiled at the attorney.
“He sent you?” Stephanie frowned. “You don’t even work at the same firm.”
“He asked me to come as a courtesy. I hope this isn’t a problem.” Connor put down his briefcase.
“Thank you for coming Connor, it is much appreciated.” Eric extended his hand.
“I’m sorry about Ridge.” He told them. “We were never friends, but I admired what he did and well, I’m really sorry.”
“Thank you Connor.” Eric answered. “And thank you for coming to help us.”
“Have you prepared a statement?” Connor asked.
“Yes.” Eric turned to Megan. “Megan?”
“Here it is.” She handed it to Connor.
“Let me go over it before we let them in.”
“I think there’s a lot we have to do before we let them in.” Deacon announced as he and Bridget walked into the room. “A hell of a lot.”


“I don’t know why you’re not going.” Amber said with a pout. “You and Bridget own most of Forrester, I just don’t know why you let them take over this way.”
“Dad is in control, like he belongs.” Rick explained. “I’m not ready to take over there and I don’t know if I would even want to.”
“But you still should be there when important things are going on.”
“Amber, they’re going to announce that Ridge is dead. That has nothing to do with the company and I honestly don’t think I can take it. They’ll all start asking about Mom and it still hurts so much. I can’t even stand going to Forrester anymore. It all just seems wrong without her.”
“That’s why you need to be there. Someone has to represent her interests Rick. Brooke would want you to take her lead and keep things going the way she had them!” Amber argued.
“My heart isn’t there. I’m sorry Amber, but I just can’t seem to get into it. I’m thinking of looking for something different to do with my life, you know like Budge. She’s going to be a doctor. Fashion isn’t what she cares about. Maybe it’s time we just sold it to Dad and Stephanie. We could live good Amber.”
“We already live good and fashion is very important to me Rick. Did you know that Eric cancelled the Brooke’s Bedroom line? The last shipment went out and there will be no more production! What if he does it to Ambrosia too? Then what Rick? Can’t I count on you?”
“He did?” Rick frowned. “He said they wouldn’t be doing any drastic changes.”
“Well he did! God Rick, it seems like I have more interest in your company than you do!”
“I know Ridge wasn’t thrilled with the Bedroom line, but he said because it was so important to Mom that he’d keep it going.”
“Well Ridge isn’t around to protest anymore is he?” Amber smirked.
“I won’t let Dad cancel your line.” Rick promised.
“Please Rick, let’s go to this meeting, let’s show the press that Brooke Logan’s son is still very much a part of Forrester. Don’t let them take over. Please!”
“Maybe we should call Budge and bring her.” Rick said.
“You can call her from your cell in the car! We need to get there now!”


“You’re both up early.” Ridge announced as he and Brooke, walking hand in hand joined Nick and Carla. “Have you eaten?”
“Coffee.” Carla showed him her mug. “How about you?”
“We had coffee and juice.” Brooke supplied. “Perry is already at work on the engine.”
“I have to join him.” Nick looked at Carla. “But do you have a moment first Brooke?” He turned to face the woman he loved.
“Alright.” She said softly. “What’s on your mind?”
“Maybe we could take a walk.” He looked at Brooke and Ridge’s intertwined fingers, causing Brooke to let go of the reluctant Ridge.
“We shouldn’t stray far, there’s so much work to be done and we do want to get home soon.” Brooke nervously answered him.
“I’m not going to kidnap you, I just think there are a couple of things we need to talk about and we need to talk privately.”
“Anything you say to Logan you can say to me.” Ridge growled.
“It’s okay Ridge.” Brooke looked from Ridge to Nick. “Where shall we walk?” She asked Nick.
“Just down the beach is okay.” He answered. He reached for her hand but Brooke pulled hers away and started to walk. The pair walked in silence until they were out of hearing range. Then Nick stopped and turned to her. “My touch repels you?” He asked.
”No.” She answered. “I just thought it was inappropriate with Carla right there.”
“And Ridge.” Nick added.
“Please don’t make this any more difficult that it already is.” Brooke pled.
“Difficult? Princess what’s going on? Yesterday you loved me and now I’m difficult?”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that Nick. Everything is so confusing now, everything has changed. It all feels so strange and strained. I don’t mean you’re difficult. Please know that.”
“I’m trying.” He gave her a smile. “It’s hard to believe that just a couple of days ago we were happy, in each others arms, just the two of us.”
“But Nick, it’s not just the two of us anymore and we’re going home soon.” Brooke protested.
“I know Princess and I’m happy about that, I just wish.”
“Things changed Nick.” She sighed.
“They did, but not everything has to, not if we don’t want it to.” He argued.
“We knew eventually real life would come back and we’d have to face it.” Brooke looked into his eyes. “Nothing will diminish what we had here.”
“And the baby?” Nick asked. “I guess Ridge wants to raise him?”
Brooke felt tears welling in her eyes. “Is that what you want?” She asked him.
“I want us back like we were.” Nick admitted. “But I guess we’ll never get that.”
“It will be hard for you living in New York.” Brooke’s lower lip trembled lightly. “But I would never keep you out of his life. I guess a distant relationship can work somehow, unless.”
“Adoption?” Nick asked. “Shit, I guess he would want that. I suppose it would make it easier on you and on the kid, but it’s just a decision I can’t make so quickly. Can you accept that?”
“We can wait.” Brooke took a deep breath. “What about Carla? Will she understand?” Brooke wondered how he would tell Carla about the baby, it would be as hard as it would be for her to tell Ridge.
“She knows how I feel.” Nick said. “It’s not easy for her but she’s a good woman and a smart woman and she adjusts.”
“I like her.” Brooke admitted. “I mean I can understand why you love her. She’s very smart and very pretty Nick and she doesn’t seem cold at all to me.”
“She’s not cold.” Nick admitted. “I guess next to you most women would seem like that. I was wrong to say that about her.”
“And she is beautiful Nick. She doesn’t think so. You’re going to have to let her know that you feel she is.” Brooke smiled sadly.
“Ridge really loves you.” Nick reluctantly admitted. “He’s not like the man you painted.”
“We have a long history. I did tell you that. He was always my one true love.”
“He’ll make you happy.” Nick forced the words but Brooke felt like she was being dismissed.
“He wants to marry me.” She told him.
“I figured that. So did you set a date?”
“After we’re settled, after I see my kids and make sure things are back to normal I guess.” Brooke forced herself to tell him the lie she and Ridge had decided on. It would make it easier for Nick to move on, even if it didn’t help Brooke.
“You guess? You’re finally getting your dream Brooke, it’s okay for you to be happy about it.” Nick felt like he was slowly dying, but he was realizing just how important Brooke’s happiness was to him, and if her happiness was Ridge, he wasn’t going to interfere.
“I, I guess my emotions are a bit high right now.” Brooke looked down at her hands. “Yes, he’ll make me happy. And Carla, she will make you happy too. Before long you’ll forget everything that happened here.”
“Never.” Nick answered quickly.
“No, not with a baby, but we can make those decisions later. New York and LA are just a phone call away really.” Brooke felt herself flushing. She didn’t want to have this conversation, but Nick’s happiness was with Carla and Brooke loved him too much to want to cause him any pain or unhappiness. She would let him go completely, for his own sake.
“Or an email.” Nick added, instantly regretting how impersonal it sounded.
“Did you and Carla set a date?” She asked.
“No, no things are weird Brooke.”
“Don’t let this,” she gestured at the island and then at Nick and herself. “Don’t let this come between you. Never give up on true love Nick.”
“Oh God.” He moaned, how could he let her go, he loved her so deeply.
“I’m right, you know I am.” She gently touched his cheek, and then leaned over and kissed it. “Be happy Nick, be happy.” She turned and started to walk away.
“Brooke?” Nick called out. She turned to face him. “You too. Never lose that beautiful smile Princess, you light up the sky.” He gave her a sad smile as she walked away. “I love you Princess, I’ll love you till the day I die.” He whispered, too softly for Brooke’s ears.


“Deacon, now is NOT the time or place for this. Please go back to your office and we can talk later.” Eric fumed at his daughter’s husband.
“Well now Eric, I have to disagree with you. Now is EXACTLY the time and the place. Isn’t it baby?” He smiled at Bridget.
“We should have been included.” Bridget told her father.
“We were trying to protect you from the pain.” Stephanie walked to the girl.
“I don’t need protection. Ridge is my brother and I love him. If something happened to him I have a right to know the truth. I shouldn’t have to wait for my husband to overhear it or to read it in the Times!”
“She’s right.” Rick announced as he and Amber walked in. “We both belong here Dad. Why didn’t you call me?”
“We thought you had a cold honey.” Stephanie covered.
“And a cold would keep him away from a press conference about Ridge?” Amber asked.
“You’re right honey, we should have called him.” Stephanie tried to smooth the waters.
“Oh, and not my wife?” Deacon frowned. “Queenie you try and try to swim above it, but you’re drowning in BULLSHIT!” He shouted the last word.
“That’s enough Deacon!” Eric angrily shouted.
“They’re coming in!” Megan panicked.
“Deacon, Deacon please just take a seat.” Eric begged.
Deacon looked at him and chuckled. “Oh you owe me Gramps, you owe me big time.” He took Bridget’s arm. “Come on baby, let’s take a seat, I think this show is about to get very interesting.”


Nick was sitting at a table on the boat, working on cleaning part of the engine for Perry when Ridge walked up to him. “Parker.” He said as he sat down next to him.
“Hello Ridge.” Nick looked up at him. “Perry is down below. I’m trying to get the crap out of this thing.” He held up the part for Ridge to see.
“Uh huh.” Ridge replied.
“Where are the ladies?” Nick asked.
“I don’t know Nick.” Ridge said in a voice showing disinterest. “You know, I let you go off with Brooke today, but don’t expect that to happen again.”
“You let me? Have you declared yourself king of this island? Did I miss something?”
“She’s mine Parker, remember that.”
“You’ve made that very clear.” Nick continued working.
“Good.” Ridge answered.
“So you’re going to marry her?” Nick asked without looking up from his work.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes, yes I am.”
“When? Long engagement?” Nick pushed.
“I’d marry her the minute we reach land, but I’m sure Brooke wants time to plan something really special. This is going to be her last marriage ever.” Ridge boastfully announced.
“Hope you keep her longer than you did the last time.” Nick said with a touch of sarcasm. “Oh, and I think it’s plenty of my business.”
“Why don’t you worry about your own fiancée? Carla is a good woman and I’m sure she doesn’t like seeing you mooning over another man’s lady.”
“Why don’t we just get this out in the open Ridge. You have a problem with me, then just say it.”
“You’re little more than a problem to me and to Brooke!”
“I don’t think Brooke feels that way. In case you missed it we’re very close. We’ve shared a lot Ridge. You can’t just wipe it away like it never happened.”
“I know about you and Brooke.” Ridge growled.
“I wasn’t hiding anything.” Nick shook his head.
“She doesn’t love you.” Ridge looked up at him again, waiting for a reaction.
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that. But you’ve won, she wants that elusive life you’ve always dangled in front of her. I love her, that’s true, but I love her enough to let her go if that’s what makes her happy.”
“Like you had a choice.” Ridge laughed.
“You’re certainly underestimating what we share. You should watch that in the future, not everyone would react like I do, not everyone would be as willing to step aside.”
“I’m shaking.” Ridge laughed and shook in a form of mockery.
“Cocky bastard.” Nick muttered.
“Look Parker, you just keep away from my lady and we’ll get along just fine. You had your fun but I’m here now and Brooke knows what she wants, and it’s not you. I know you thought you could have some kind of life with her, but that ain’t gonna happen.”
“If this is your best attempt at getting along with someone it’s a wonder you have any friends at all. I have to wonder what it is that Brooke sees in you.”
“You took advantage of a frightened, fragile woman. You practically forced yourself on her before she even knew your name. You have no right to question anything about Brooke!”
“I didn’t take advantage of anyone. What happened between us was unavoidable and inevitable and whether you like it or not we love each other.”
“You screwed a scared, mixed up woman who was only reacting to the fact that she wasn’t alone on this godforsaken island. You opened your eyes and jumped her bones! You think that’s romantic? You think she loves you for that? She laughed at you Parker, she thought you were pathetic.”
“Not quite the way it went down but if that’s what you want to believe, knock yourself out Ridge.”
“Then you waited again, you had to bide your time until she was vulnerable again. You took her after finding a dead body. Some hero.”
“So she told you that too?” Nick was shocked. “Actually it didn’t happen that day and I’m sure she didn’t give you any of the details.”
“Brooke and I don’t keep secrets Parker. We love each other, we’re honest, we tell each other everything and we learn from our mistakes.”
“Am I supposed to believe Brooke called me a mistake?” Nick asked.
“No, she didn’t, but I do.” Ridge admitted.
“I don’t like you Forrester. But for some reason Brooke loves you and I have to accept that and find a way to live with that.”
“You don’t have to find a way to do Jack Shit.” Ridge laughed. “She dumped you Parker. You need to find a way to live with that.”
“I’m trying to reason with you.” Nick slammed down the engine part. “You think this is easy for me? You laugh like this is some kind of joke. I’m doing my damnedest to not just understand but respect and accept Brooke’s choosing you.”
“Like I said, you really didn’t have a choice Nick.”
“You are so damn lucky I love her Forrester.”
“Oh yeah, I thank my stars every hour on the hour.” Ridge frowned. “Is there a point to this conversation Parker? Cause I’m getting really bored.”
“I’d never do anything to hurt her and I won’t make her life difficult, even if I’d LOVE to do that to you.”
“As if you had that kind of power over me.” Ridge chuckled.
“Do you love her Forrester? Do you love her enough to accept that I will be a part of her life for a long, long time?”
“You’re living in Fantasyland.” Ridge laughed. “You’ll be an old memory a week after we get home, but if she did want you to have some minute part of her life, yes, I love her enough to accept it, though I’m sure I could get her to see reason.”
“See reason? And what is that supposed to mean?” Nick asked in anger.
“That a married couple really doesn’t need some old, not that significant ex-boyfriend in their lives.”
“And what about the baby Ridge? You’re going to be able to accept my baby and treat him right? Can you promise me that you won’t let your hatred of me carry over to him? Because if not, then we do have a problem.”
“Your what?” Ridge gasped and stood up. He turned pale as he looked at Nick, realizing that the man was totally serious. For what felt like an eternity Ridge was unable to speak, he just stared at Nick, trying to form words, unable to express his fear. “Brooke is pregnant?” He finally was able to say the words.
Nick just looked at him with a strange, confused look on his face.
“She’s having your baby? No, no, no that’s impossible!” Ridge clutched at his chest as if he had just been shot. “Oh Brooke, no, no, nooooooooooooooooooooooo!”
“So much for no secrets huh?” Nick said with a sigh. “Brooke, what kind of a mess have we created now?”

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